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Time of India
16 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Lokayukta raids govt officials, unearths assets worth crores
Dharwad: Lokayukta police raided the house, office, and govt quarters of the PWD (north circle) chief engineer H Suresh in Dharwad and Hanuman Nagar in Belagavi Saturday morning and unearthed disproportionate assets amounting to 153.5%. The raid was held simultaneously at seven locations, including his house, farmhouse and office. Dharwad Lokayukta SP Hanumantharaya said the officer owns two housing plots valued at Rs 13.4 lakh, six commercial complexes valued at Rs 50.5 lakh, two houses (Rs 2.6 crore), 11.3 acres of agricultural land valued at Rs 35.4 lakh, Rs 76,000 in cash, fixed deposits of Rs 1.7 crore in various banks, gold ornaments weighing 245 grams (Rs 21 lakh), 2,499g silver (Rs 2.3 lakh), two luxury cars (Rs 26 lakh), furnitures worth Rs 25 lakh-taking the total value of assets to Rs 3.3 crore which is 153.54% disproportionate to his known income source. The raid was conducted by the Lokayukta police team led by SP CH Hanumantharaya. The Lokayukta sleuths also raided several premises of Gangadhar Veerayya Shirol, project director, Nirmithi Kendra, Gadag and unearthed disproportionate assets worth Rs 3.5 crore which is186.9% of his known sources of income. Lokayukta SP Hanumantharaya said the team recovered documents pertaining to four sites valued at Rs 25.5 lakh, seven houses (two own, five benami) worth Rs 2.3 crore, 3 acres and 29 guntas of agricultural land worth Rs 13 lakh, 307g of gold worth Rs 23.8 lakh, 3717g of silver worth Rs 3.7 lakh, one Innova car and two two-wheelers valued at Rs 12.3 lakh. Shirol also owns furniture worth Rs 5 cash seized during the raid and the bank deposits amounted to Rs 21.5 lakh, the SP informed.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Security, civic upgrades: This Delhi neighbourhood gets a boost living next door to CM
Outside a mall in Northwest Delhi's Shalimar Bagh, past a petrol pump, a golden-black gate swings open into AP Block, where a signboard announces: 'Shrimati Rekha Gupta, Mukhyamantri, Niwas AP-92.' A 100 days since the BJP came to power in the state, dislodging the AAP, Gupta — the Capital's fourth woman CM — is yet to move into her official residence. While the bungalow at 6, Flagstaff Road, in Civil Lines — the residence of former CM and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and the focus of the BJP's 'Sheesh Mahal' campaign — was offered to her by the Delhi government's Public Works Department (PWD), she declined. The PWD is currently evaluating suitable bungalows from its vacant pool. Sources in the Delhi government said the Chief Minister is looking for an official residence in Lutyens' Delhi. 'She wants the house at a central location which is accessible,' they said. Until then, AP-92, a four-storey building draped in saffron flags, is her seat of power — and the Shalimar Bagh neighbourhood an unlikely centre of governance. Outside the building are a few barricades and several armed personnel. Three times a week — Monday, Wednesday, Friday — the lane outside transforms as the CM holds her jan sunwai (public hearing). While Gupta has to travel 24 km to reach the Delhi Secretariat, and nearly 15 km to both the North and South Blocks, residents of Shalimar Bagh are happy she is living among them. For them, it has meant attention, security, and swift civic upgrades. 'Garbage? Not a single wrapper on the road,' says Ahmad Sehrawat, who has been working as a guard at the government primary school next to Gupta's house for the past eight years. 'Earlier, a luxury car worth Rs 70 lakh was stolen from right outside her house. Now, CRPF and Delhi Police personnel are stationed at all times and are taking shelter in our school,' he adds. Infrastructure, too, has seen a facelift. Over the past month, Gupta has inaugurated footpaths at two parks, laid new roads in NP, PD, QD, and NU Blocks in the colony, and raised the boundary walls of Prem Bari Bridge. Water pumps have been deployed in anticipation of the monsoon. One of the most ambitious undertakings is a new Ring Road planned between Madhuban Chowk and Mukarba Chowk — a Rs 13-crore project aimed at easing traffic congestion in Northwest Delhi. Gupta's team has also installed directional signs across Pitampura's PWD roads for smoother vehicle movement. Her neighbours talk of the 'Rekha ji' who would walk to the temple in her salwar kameez. Meena, who lives a few houses down, says, 'She would always greet us with a smile. Now she is the CM and cannot step out without security personnel. Still, she waves if we catch her eye.' 'She hasn't changed,' says Smita Bansal, who claims to have known her from the time she was a councillor. 'Just the crowd outside her house has changed. With the Chief Minister living here, I'm sure the property rates of this block would have increased.' 'We have never seen such rapid work in our area,' says Arti Chawla, a resident of Gupta's block. 'The road outside our temple was full of potholes. Now it's smooth, and the temple itself is being renovated.' Not everyone is happy, though. Vinod Mandal, who runs a kiosk where he sells paan, chips and beverages, is upset that street vendors have been displaced. His kiosk survived, but he says he lives in fear. 'Just days after she was named CM, all vendors were removed… The government has no plan to rehabilitate them,' says Mandal, who claims to be a 'lifelong' BJP worker. A group of shopkeepers from Haiderpur complain about harassment by the local police. Gupta responds sharply, 'Sadak pe kabza karoge toh kaise baat banegi? (How can things work out if you are going to take over the road?') The most agitated group, however, is that of civil defence volunteers, many wearing their uniforms, who remind Gupta of the BJP's pre-election promise to reinstate them. 'We were told the matter would be resolved in 60 days. It has been 100 days,' a volunteer says. Gupta responds: 'Do saal ki samasya ka samadhan do din mein ho sakta hai kya? (How can a matter of two years be resolved in two days?)' The CM leaves soon after, and her security personnel move to disperse the crowd.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Delhi: 100 days on, a govt in motion focuses on tech, infra, reform
On its 100th day in power, ministers and departments from the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Delhi government released updates outlining a flurry of activity since the formation of the new government — road repairs, electric buses, fee regulations, and environmental pushes, all in a bid to signal a government in motion. Taking charge after a sweeping mandate in February 2025, Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta's administration has tried to show it means business, rolling out schemes and reviving long-pending projects in line with the BJP's pre-election promises. What emerges is a governance agenda marked by infrastructure revival, tech-led public services, and a visible shift in climate and transport planning. Infrastructure: roads and drains Delhi's crumbling arterial roads — many untouched for years — have been at the centre of the government's infrastructure focus, officials said. The Public Works Department (PWD) reported repair work across more than 228km of roads, with advanced bituminous resurfacing completed on over 66km so far. 'We focused on zones such as Karol Bagh, Rohini, and parts of east and south Delhi were prioritised, especially those overdue for repairs by over five years,' a senior PWD official said. Work, meanwhile, continued to be underway on another 114km, while estimates for 25km have been approved and proposals for 7km await clearance. Attention has also turned to long-stalled flyover and underpass projects — notably, Barapullah Phase-III, delayed by seven years. Simultaneously, departments directed a major chunk of their efforts on pre-monsoon desilting drives across Delhi's clogged stormwater drains — a routine that had often fallen behind schedule in earlier years. PWD has cleared silt and encroachments from 800 km of its 2,100-km network, while the irrigation department has desilted over 60% of its larger drains. Transport: Push for buses One of the key highlights in the transport sector has been the launch of the long-delayed 'Devi' bus service. These nine-metre electric buses, designed to improve last-mile connectivity, had been held up for over two years despite procurement. Now, over 400 of them are operational across key routes. Technological upgrades are also shaping Delhi's public transport landscape. The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has initiated route rationalisation — aimed at reducing dead mileage — based on an IIT Delhi study. A metro-style automated fare collection system using UPI and smart cards has also been introduced. For its green push, charging infrastructure is expanding in Delhi, with over 40 EV depots under construction. A new bus terminal in Narela is among the newer projects initiated in the last three months. On the policy side, the transport department has launched AI-based verification of documents and opened an automated vehicle testing centre that can inspect up to 72,000 vehicles annually. It has also approved 20 multi-modal integration projects worth ₹1,000 crore and installed automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras at over 500 petrol pumps to monitor pollution-related and 'end-of-life' vehicle violations. Transport minister Pankaj Singh has also floated a cabinet note on the creation of a Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) and an Urban Transport Fund (UTF), which is expected to reach the cabinet soon. Environment: Smog guns, pollution curbs With unpredictable weather and chronic air pollution still looming large, the environment ministry has stepped up enforcement across the Capital. Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has overseen the launch of two major plans — the air mitigation action plan and the summer action plan — to tackle seasonal pollution and heat-related stress. In a landmark move, the department banned non-essential, non-EV from entering forest and reserved forest areas. On Friday, the city government ordered all high-rise commercial buildings — malls, hotels, and institutional buildings with over 3,000 square metres built-up area or more than five floors — to install anti-smog guns within six months. These rooftop devices are to be operated in specific bursts, during high-pollution hours. The industries department, in coordination with the environment ministry, has also rolled out plans for CNG-powered water sprinklers and anti-smog guns in industrial areas — a first for Delhi. Water: Expanding access In a city where water continues to divide communities and shape politics, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has undertaken a visible overhaul. Officials say that 98 new borewells have been commissioned, increasing water availability compared to the same time last year. Meanwhile, the long-promised GPS-based tanker monitoring system has finally gone live — an attempt to curb pilferage and increase accountability. Critics, however, point out that this is a legacy promise made by previous governments too. To combat Yamuna pollution and frothing, DJB has installed new aeration units along major drains. Real-time flood monitoring using cameras has also been launched ahead of the monsoon. Education: Fee reforms, digital push In education, the government's agenda has pivoted heavily toward regulating private school fees and expanding digital infrastructure. The new Delhi School Fee Regulation Policy empowers a tribunal to examine unjustified fee hikes. Over 80 private schools have already been served notices for allegedly unfairly hiked fees, officials said. A web portal has been launched for parents to lodge complaints directly, and private schools are now mandated to submit audited financials justifying their fee structures. Other reforms include a ₹1,000 monthly stipend for Scheduled Caste students in polytechnic institutions, and approval for 125 digital school libraries, 100 Dr APJ Abdul Kalam language labs, and 75 'CM Shree' model schools with upgraded infrastructure. Free coaching for competitive exams such as NEET, JEE, and CUET has also been extended to 163,000 students — a significant scaling up of outreach programmes. Conclusion: The need to sustain momentum While the new administration has presented a report card heavy with infrastructure metrics, technology-driven reforms, and symbolic green policies. Many of the initiatives — such as road repair, tanker GPS, or the EV bus rollout — had been announced years ago but had stalled for a wide variety of reasons. But plenty of tests remain. The monsoon will test drainage promises. School fee regulation and bus route reform demand constant oversight. Opposition leaders have already flagged gaps — including delays in the rollout of the ₹2,500 monthly benefit scheme for women and the lack of clarity on the Yamuna clean-up plan. The question now is not whether the administration has started moving — but whether it can sustain this pace.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Delhi: Until FOB built for Rajputana Rifles Regiment, PWD to clean culvert daily
The Public Works Department (PWD) told the Delhi high court on Friday that it will remove debris and garbage from a culvert used daily by more than 3,000 soldiers of the Rajputana Rifles Regiment on their way to the parade ground as a short-term solution until a foot overbridge is constructed. The court took cognizance of a Hindustan Times report highlighting the unsanitary conditions the soldiers were forced to endure and passed an order on Friday directing PWD to ensure the culvert was cleaned so that soldiers could use it until the FOB was built. The bench, comprising justices Pratibha M Singh and Manmeet PS Arora, observed that the existence of debris and stones will be hazardous for soldiers, especially with monsoons expected to arrive in the coming months, which will make the path muddy and more treacherous. 'While the FOB is designed and built, the engineer in-charge has agreed to get the walking path cleaned with some tiling in the culvert after removal of malba and stones, which could be hazardous. Accordingly, let the cleaning in the area be undertaken forthwith and photographs shall be placed before this bench on June 18 along with the status report,' the court said on Friday. The PWD engineer said that in-principle approval for the long-pending FOB has been given by the PWD sub-committee on Wednesday. He admitted that this construction would take time due to the area's topography, vehicular movement and the metro line. On Thursday, PWD officials had conducted a site visit to decide the FOB's location and said that the same was likely to come up between Delhi's metro pillar numbers 64 and 65 of the Delhi Cantonment Board (DCB) and would not require tree felling permission. In the meantime, PWD proposed to make the path used by the soldiers clean by removing the debris on their route through the culvert. Apprehending the accumulation of mud in the culvert during monsoon, the court also directed PWD to clean the area on a daily basis. 'During monsoon, there is a possibility of a lot of mud being collected in the area. After rains, the maintenance of the area shall be undertaken on a daily basis so that no inconvenience is caused to the movement of the soldiers in the culvert,' the court said. The order was passed in a suo motu plea taking cognizance of HT's report, 'A smelly trail from barracks to grounds: Regiment's daily battle in Delhi,' which had shown how 3,000 soldiers of the Rajputana Rifles, the oldest rifle regiment of the Indian Army, located in the Delhi Cantonment, are forced to march through a culvert four times a day– twice before breakfast and twice after dusk. The report highlighted the failure of the Delhi government to construct the FOB at the spot. During the hearing on Friday, PWD also suggested that traffic signals and a zebra crossing be installed for the soldier's convenience. Considering the suggestion, the court directed the deputy commissioner of police, traffic and PWD to convene a meeting on June 3. The order said, 'The concerned DCP shall consider the feasibility of creating zebra crossing and the traffic signal, in a manner so that the vehicular movement is also not obstructed in any manner and for a limited time only. Let a meeting be conducted with the DCP traffic and Bhushan (PWD engineer) with the nodal officer in the DCB on June 3, at 11am. The DCB shall appoint a nodal officer for all these works.' The matter will next be heard on June 18.
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Ambazari arch bridge completed in record 2 months, to open in 2 days
1 2 Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is set to open the newly constructed arch shaped bridge over the Nag river near Ambazari within the next two days, completing the project in a record time of just two months instead of 15-month deadline — well ahead of monsoon. The new 25-metre-long single-span arch bridge — the first of its kind in the city — has been built without piers, allowing unhindered water flow beneath it. This zero-steel structure requires no maintenance, is corrosion-free, and has a lifespan of 125 years. It is designed to handle 70R highway loading, making it suitable for heavy traffic. The bridge, which connects Ambazari ghat with North Ambazari Road, faced stiff opposition from local residents in April first week after NMC blocked a section of the riverbed with sand to build a temporary diversion. The road was necessary to allow traffic access to the crematorium and to enable demolition of the old bridge. Residents of Ambazari Layout feared that blocking the river could worsen flooding in the locality, citing the September 2023 flash floods as a grim reminder. Concerns were also raised about mosquito breeding, traffic congestion on narrow colony roads, and the potential for increased anti-social activity near the ghat. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo A work order for the new bridge was issued on March 25, the diversion road was constructed by April 2, and demolition of the old structure began on April 3. NMC's private contractor, Praful Deshmukh of Arch Infra Company, executed the construction swiftly using precast technology. With a width of 11 metres and a 7.5-metre carriageway for two-way traffic as per PWD norms, the Rs3.08 crore project is nearly complete. Only finishing touches such as footpaths and side railings remain, and NMC officials said the bridge will be opened for traffic within the next 48 hours. The temporary road laid on the riverbed — built by diverting a section of the Nag river — will also be dismantled by Sunday, restoring the river's natural flow. Officials say the absence of piers in the new bridge will help reduce flood risks in the future. Residents have since approached the Dharampeth Zone office to seek assurances regarding long-term flood mitigation and traffic regulation. Zone officials promised to review their concerns, even as the city prepares to open one of its fastest-completed and most technically advanced bridges to the public.
